Joe Kirk is known for his quiet ways, and commitment to the arts. He’s a musician, a singer, and an actor. Before he came to prison, he used to ride the rails, going from town to town and playing music. I spoke to Joe about the life he left behind.

I lived in Barstow California across the sticker-bush field from the railyard. Often I encountered hobos under the railroad bridge on my way to and from school. I dreamed of filling a knapsack with soda crackers and sardines, and hitting the rails to nowhere. I had dabbled at hopping freight trains short distances to and from little league baseball practices, but never any long trips, so when I met Joe Kirk, who had long rode the rails, I had to interview him on the art of hoboing.

"I just decided to take my last paycheck from my job, went to Walmart, bought a bunch of gear, hopped a train and headed down to Miami, Florida."

Getting a haircut can make a person feel good. For the men in San Quentin, it's no different. Some of the barbers are paid to cut hair. Others volunteer to do so. It can be a complex process, but it's important in the prison environment.

Autism is extremely hard to diagnose, because it can’t be tested for blood or genes. It’s a behavioral disorder. Often a parent or teacher has to notice the signs and request that a child is tested. Many people are living their lives without realizing they have autism. This includes people in prison.